Last Battle
by Alayne Stone
Summary: The final duel between Thor and Loki.


It is pouring and the sky is dark ever since the wolves swallowed the sun.  
They circle each other among pools, soaked to the bone, their cloaks heavy with water. Loki holds Gungnir, but it feels alien in his hands. It is not his and it will never serve him, no matter how powerful he is.  
This is the end and they both know it. The nine worlds are in ruins now, men and gods and frost giants and the people of Niflheim have bled and slaughtered one another. Odin is dead, and so is Fenrir. Heimdall fell protecting the Rainbow Bridge, but it is all crushed now. And it was Loki and his children and minions who brought all this destruction. And he hasn't achieved anything. He doesn't belong anywhere and the pain that has been with him ever since he found out his heritage never went away.  
Nothing remains, only him and Thor, fighting to the death among the ruins of Asgard, in the rain that will maybe bring a new beginning. But not for them. They belong to the old world.  
Lies. All he knew were lies for the last few centuries, and he barely remembered the boy who was up to some mischief but never wanted real harm. What has he become? And what for?  
Thor, who never fought him with a full heart, is now looking different. Desperate. There is a cold fury in his bright blue eyes and he looks older. This is no longer the hotheaded boy, this is a man who has lost everything and wants only revenge in the vain hope it will make anything better.  
Marble freezes and splinters as Loki unleashes his magic. How long have they been fighting? Might have been days. They never get tired.  
And then the moment comes when Loki's defense slips and Mjölnir hits him full force in the chest.  
They stop and stare at each other. Thor is confused, maybe a bit shocked. Loki stands still, gasping, blood flowing from his mouth, the pain visible in his eyes, the mad light gone now. Just a frightened boy, so utterly lost. Thor has seen this look before, when his little brother let go of Gungnir and fell into the void.  
"No" he whispers and catches him in his arms just as Loki collapses.  
Loki laughs, even though every breath is incredible pain. He rests his head on Thor's shoulder and looks up.  
"So I have finally made you... angry... enough. The perfect hero. The saviour. How... how does it feel, Thor? Being a kinslayer?"  
Thor is weeping, holding him like he did when they were little and Loki had a nightmare. He had always been there for him. Protected him from monsters, real or imaginary. But even Thor couldn't protect him from himself.  
"I have never wanted this. Never." Blue eyes meets cloudy green ones. "Why, Loki? Why did you have to do all this? We have all loved you. You were one of us. Nobody cast you out. It was you who felt he didn't belong."  
"Because I didn't, Thor. I was too dark for Asgard. I was what I grew up hating." He fights to get the words out. "You and father with all your light couldn't help me. I was a _lie_."  
"Was it worth it? To destroy everything because it hurt?"  
Loki's hand is gripping Thor's and he sobs quietly. He wants it to be over. Maybe the pain will finally stop then. The long-buried good half of him wishes to make peace with Thor, but his pride protests.  
He just shakes his head. No, it wasn't worth it. But his fate and Asgard's fate was decided the moment Odin took pity on Laufey's innocent babe. Didn't Allfather know? He saw so many things when he hanged on the World Tree. If he knew, why did he still take Loki as his son?  
"I had good intentions once. I don't know when did it all go wrong. One day I realized it wasn't about impressing father or being better than you anymore. I became more and more empty each day and I have never found what I searched for."  
"I still love you, little brother. No matter what you did, what I did, I love you."  
"Hold me, Thor" he asks and his voice is weak. "Hold me till I fall asleep. Like in the old times."  
Thor nods, cuddling him, his tears mixed with the rain.  
"I will keep you safe."  
Loki's smile is heartbreaking.  
"You always did, brother."  
He is still smiling when he passes, so peacefully that Thor only notices it when his body slackens in his embrace and the rain falls in his vacant, unblinking eyes.  
Thor's cry of anguish echoes among the ruined walls.


End file.
